1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of BFE. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?” In the beginning of B.F.E., we meet Panny, who resides in a typical suburb. The term B.F.E. stands for "Bum Fuck Egypt”, which means any generic, run of the mill neighborhood within the United States. The focus of this play is a family, consisting of a daughter, Panny, her agoraphobic mother, Isabel, and her uncle, Lefty. Panny is an Asian-American, and feels compelled to abide by American beauty standards, which her mother wholeheartedly subscribes to and belittles her daughter for not doing so. The dramatic situation that the characters find themselves in is that as the narrator, Panny, undergoes some sort of traumatic experience. She retells the events that lead up to this event, which is the bulk of the play’s storyline. 2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play? The intrusion in the play I would say is when Hugo asks Panny if she could meet up with him. This takes her by surprise as she considered him to be solely a phone friend, and now must meet up with him in real time, something that she had not anticipated doing. Another notable intrusion that occurs I would say is when Leftie falls in love with Evvie as it jumpstarts a different storyline within the play. 3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? This is the day that Panny tells her story, after much presumed speculation about what happened that night with the stranger(as indicated in her opening narration) 4. State the dramatic question or questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.) Will Panny let go of her insecurities? What happens to Panny that is speculated about in the beginning? Will Lefty and Evvie end up together? Will Isabel get over her fears? 5. Use Panny, Isabelle, or Lefty to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is the dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Trifles the wants of Ms. Hale change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles for one of the three designated characters.. I would say that concerning Panny, her main obstacle that she had to confront was herself. Panny had crippling low self-esteem which impeded her from having social relationships. She often feels neglected, especially with her mother who has a phobia of going outside and often asks Panny to cater to her because of her condition. Panny is left feeling as if no one cares about her, and this propels this notion that she is unworthy of love or attention, promoting her to seek assurance through initially her pen pal(which does not work) and the n Hugo. Panny ultimately wants to be accepted and thought of as beautiful, as well as be ultimately valued. Society stands in the way of this as images that society gives to her concerning who is pretty and beautiful does not fit Panny’s likeness. 6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. In your estimation what is the most theatrical moment in BFEand what happens during that moment which is so important to the outcome of the play? The most theatrical moment in the play was when Panny was abducted by the stranger. The fact that he confesses to Panny that he wanted to take her friend but settled for her became slightly metaphorical I would say. Panny’s mother constantly told Panny that the stranger seemed to only take pretty girls, and that by default, Panny would not have to worry about being taken as she was not “pretty enough”. This stoked Panny’s insecurities as she found herself subconsciously comparing herself to those girls, almost as if she was wishing that she were pretty enough to be taken. When the stranger admits to Panny that he did not want to take her it brings her insecurities back to the forefront as she must reckon with the fact that her fear were “realized” and she is in fact no rpety enough to be abducted. But the irony of this is that her “unattractiveness” is what saves her life. Not fitting society’s standard of beauty helped Panny, contrary to what she has thought about her looks hurting her in life. 7. Provide at least three examples of images in BFE. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”) An image that struck me was the wig in that is symbolized the American standard of beauty which centers around the virtue of white womanhood. Being the “buxom blonde” is what epitomizes beauty and for Panny to realize that America(as represented by the stranger) was trying to mold her into that was important to Panny gaining her self-image. The fact that the play revolves around a nameless town (bum-fuck egypt) showcases that this is a commonality found in American cities across the board, not specific to a region. Lefty’s figurines- they illustrate the extent of his attempt to escape this “B.F.E.” which he inhabits. He has crafted characters and worlds to aide his release and respite from the mundane and the cruelties of suburbia. Isabel's mother's sofa- This also illustrates escapism as Isabel chooses to stay at home and escape her realities than to confront them and her fears of the outside world.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in BFE. Beauty, Fear, Love, Loneliness, Race, Pedophilia, Ethnicity 9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with BFE? Is family redefined in BFE and if so, in what ways? Panny’s family is not traditional. Her father is not in the picture and her uncle lives at home with her mother who does not go outside. Because of the dynamic of the relationship often Panny must do things independently and on her own, crafting her role as a self-sufficient young woman,
In the beginning of B.F.E., we meet Panny, who resides in a typical suburb. The term B.F.E. stands for "Bum Fuck Egypt”, which means any generic, run of the mill neighborhood within the United States. The focus of this play is a family, consisting of a daughter, Panny, her agoraphobic mother, Isabel, and her uncle, Lefty. Panny is an Asian-American, and feels compelled to abide by American beauty standards, which her mother wholeheartedly subscribes to and belittles her daughter for not doing so. The dramatic situation that the characters find themselves in is that as the narrator, Panny, undergoes some sort of traumatic experience. She retells the events that lead up to this event, which is the bulk of the play’s storyline.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
The intrusion in the play I would say is when Hugo asks Panny if she could meet up with him. This takes her by surprise as she considered him to be solely a phone friend, and now must meet up with him in real time, something that she had not anticipated doing. Another notable intrusion that occurs I would say is when Leftie falls in love with Evvie as it jumpstarts a different storyline within the play.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
This is the day that Panny tells her story, after much presumed speculation about what happened that night with the stranger(as indicated in her opening narration)
4. State the dramatic question or questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
Will Panny let go of her insecurities?
What happens to Panny that is speculated about in the beginning?
Will Lefty and Evvie end up together?
Will Isabel get over her fears?
5. Use Panny, Isabelle, or Lefty to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is the dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Trifles the wants of Ms. Hale change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles for one of the three designated characters..
I would say that concerning Panny, her main obstacle that she had to confront was herself. Panny had crippling low self-esteem which impeded her from having social relationships. She often feels neglected, especially with her mother who has a phobia of going outside and often asks Panny to cater to her because of her condition. Panny is left feeling as if no one cares about her, and this propels this notion that she is unworthy of love or attention, promoting her to seek assurance through initially her pen pal(which does not work) and the n Hugo. Panny ultimately wants to be accepted and thought of as beautiful, as well as be ultimately valued. Society stands in the way of this as images that society gives to her concerning who is pretty and beautiful does not fit Panny’s likeness.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. In your estimation
what is the most theatrical moment in BFE and what happens during that moment which is so important to the outcome of the play?
The most theatrical moment in the play was when Panny was abducted by the stranger. The fact that he confesses to Panny that he wanted to take her friend but settled for her became slightly metaphorical I would say. Panny’s mother constantly told Panny that the stranger seemed to only take pretty girls, and that by default, Panny would not have to worry about being taken as she was not “pretty enough”. This stoked Panny’s insecurities as she found herself subconsciously comparing herself to those girls, almost as if she was wishing that she were pretty enough to be taken. When the stranger admits to Panny that he did not want to take her it brings her insecurities back to the forefront as she must reckon with the fact that her fear were “realized” and she is in fact no rpety enough to be abducted. But the irony of this is that her “unattractiveness” is what saves her life. Not fitting society’s standard of beauty helped Panny, contrary to what she has thought about her looks hurting her in life.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in BFE. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
An image that struck me was the wig in that is symbolized the American standard of beauty which centers around the virtue of white womanhood. Being the “buxom blonde” is what epitomizes beauty and for Panny to realize that America(as represented by the stranger) was trying to mold her into that was important to Panny gaining her self-image. The fact that the play revolves around a nameless town (bum-fuck egypt) showcases that this is a commonality found in American cities across the board, not specific to a region.
Lefty’s figurines- they illustrate the extent of his attempt to escape this “B.F.E.” which he inhabits. He has crafted characters and worlds to aide his release and respite from the mundane and the cruelties of suburbia.
Isabel's mother's sofa- This also illustrates escapism as Isabel chooses to stay at home and escape her realities than to confront them and her fears of the outside world.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in BFE.
Beauty, Fear, Love, Loneliness, Race, Pedophilia, Ethnicity
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have
to do with BFE? Is family redefined in BFE and if so, in what ways?
Panny’s family is not traditional. Her father is not in the picture and her uncle lives at home with her mother who does not go outside. Because of the dynamic of the relationship often Panny must do things independently and on her own, crafting her role as a self-sufficient young woman,